horse with a humble pedigree. A couple
of working stiff owners. A 77-year-old
trainer with his first Kentucky Derby
horse.
Even Hollywood couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have made this
up.
California Chrome made it look easy on
Saturday, pulling away down the stretch to
win the Derby by 13â &#x201E;4 lengths.
In a sport dominated by wealthy owners
and regally bred horses from Kentuckyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
bluegrass country, this was a victory for the
little guys. Owners Perry Martin and Steve
Coburn bred an $8,000 mare to a $2,500
stallion to produce the winner of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
most famous race with their one-horse stable.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is just a dream come true and a great
SEE DERBY/PAGE A2
Gary Emord-Netzley, Messenger-Inquirer gemord-netzley@messenger-inquirer.com 691-7318

Salsman Brothers Inc. employees, Jewell Galloway of Madisonville, left, and C.J. Brummett of Dawson Springs, cover a section of concrete wall on the second of two bridges on Kentucky 144 on Thursday afternoon. The bridge work is part of the first phase of the U.S. 60 Bypass Extension project under way east of Owensboro. The Bypass Extension is one of 58
public and private projects currently under way in the community with a total value of $759 million.
For more coverage of the Derby, see Pages B1, B3

wensboro
Mayor Ron
Payne likes to
say that â&#x20AC;&#x153;Owensboro
is on the move,â&#x20AC;? and
he often follows it by
saying that no other
city in Kentucky has
as much going on as
Owensboro.

Last week, in his annual â&#x20AC;&#x153;State
of the Cityâ&#x20AC;? address, Payne made
that case again, with details
supporting the claim. He seized
on the fact that 58 public and

with more than 200 members
private projects are currently
working on the new Owensboro
under way in the community
with a total value of $759 million, Medical Health System hospital
between Pleasant
all of which he
Valley Road and
said contribute
The total
Daniels Lane off U.S.
to a strong local
economic impact, 60 East.
economy.
The hospital and
Larry Boswell
according to
a long list of other
doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t doubt it. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve
Mayor Ron Payne, projects outlined
lived here all my
will be $1.3
by Payne keep
life, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a
the localâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s other
long time coming,â&#x20AC;?
billion.
electricians working
Boswell said.
steadily, with
Boswell is
journeymen earning the top rate
business manager of the
of $29.02 a hour, plus benefits,
386-member Owensboro
Boswell said.
Local 1701 of the International
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been very beneficial
Brotherhood of Electrical
to us,â&#x20AC;? Boswell said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All our
Workers union. These days,
members are working. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
according to Bowell, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s full
definitely a boost compared to
employment time for the local,

the two years prior (to 2010).
We started seeing the increase
toward the end of 2010. 2012
is projected to be great. ... Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
really looking good for any
electrical contractor, union or
nonunion.â&#x20AC;?
Some of the projects
on Payneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s list are close to
completion, such as the Kentucky
National Guard Readiness
Center, the new state office
building and the downtown river
wall project. But others, including
the downtown convention center
and Hampton Inn & Suites hotel,
are set to begin this spring.
Boswell said spin-off projects
related to the hospital and
downtown projects hold potential
for more construction jobs.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;It looks like several years of
work,â&#x20AC;? he said.
For his fourth â&#x20AC;&#x153;State of the
Cityâ&#x20AC;? speech Thursday at the
Greater Owensboro Chamber
of Commerceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rooster Booster
breakfast, Payne delivered a
glowing report on the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
health, shining a light on the size
of the surplus in the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s general
fund and moderate-to-low tax
rates compared to 13 other firstand second-class cities. He spent
the bulk of his time presenting
the list of ongoing, just finished
or soon-to-start projects and
the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lower-than-average
unemployment rate. While the
national unemployment rate is
SEE BLOCKS/PAGE A2

Owensboro-Daviess County
Regional Airpor t had another
record-breaking year in 2011.
And officials there are hoping
to set yet another record for passengers in 2012.
BY STEVE PEOPLES
Printed
selves and unable to knock the
ASSOCIATED
2010, Downs
the airpor
t boarded
Victor Espinoza
ridesPRESS
California Chrome
to victory off
during
the 140th running of the Kentucky Derby
on
Saturday
atIn
Churchill
in Louisville.
front-runner
stride.
with
slightly more than 16,000 passenMANCHESTER, N.H. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Mitt
Three days before the first insoy ink
gers, primarily on Allegiant Air
Romney brushed aside rivalsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; criti- the-nation New Hampshire priflights to Orlando, Fla.
cism Saturday night in the open- mar y, Romney largely ignored
Last year, boardings continued
ing round of a weekend debate his fellow Republicans and turned
to climb to 16,849.
doubleheader that left his Repub- instead on President Barack
And Ray Assmar, board chairlican presidential campaign chalman, says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;We should bounce
lengers squabbling among themSEE DEBATE/PAGE A2

close to 20,000 this year.â&#x20AC;?
The 2011 numbers might have
been closer to 20,000, but Allegiant suspended flights to Orlando
for most of August and September,
which are typically slow months
for travel to Florida.
The airline did theAssociated
same thing
Press
in 2009.
The 2010 numbers were the
most passengers the airport had
seen in a single year since commercial ser vice began here in
1951 with Eastern Airlines.

Chamber hosting debate for judge-executive candidates
BY JOY CAMPBELL

May 20 between incumbent
Judge-Executive Al Mattingly,

Â Â?

The Gr eater Owensbor o who is seeking a second term,
Chamber of Commerce is host- and challenger Gar y Boswell,
ing a public debate between the an Owensboro businessman and
two Republican candidates for former county commissioner.
Daviess County judge-executive
Chamber President Amy
at 5:30 p.m. May 12 in Blandford Jackson said the debate is part
Hall at Owensboro Community of the organizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts to
& Technical College, 4800 New get voters engaged in this race.
Hartford Road.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the first time in the hisRepublican voters will decide tor y of Daviess County, as far
MESSENGER-INQUIRER

as we know, that the judge-executiveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office, one of our most
impor tant positions, will be
decided in the primary election,â&#x20AC;?
Jackson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;From the questions our members have asked,
it appears the candidates have
real dif ferences in philosophy
and focus.â&#x20AC;?
The debate will help voters
learn for themselves how each
candidate approaches issues

and their positions on them, she
said.
â&#x20AC;&#x153;The second part of this is to
bring awareness to the fact that
this race will be decided May
20,â&#x20AC;? Jackson said.
Daviess County currently has
22,820 registered Republicans
compared to 41,189 registered
Democrats and 4,920 others, for
a total of 68,929, according to
Chief Deputy Richard House

SEE AIRPORT/PAGE A2

in the Daviess County Circuit
Clerkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office.
In 2010, the last primary election for county judge-executive
and other county offices, Daviess
County posted a 30.5 percent
voter turnout among all voters,
with 19,541 total votes cast.
In that primary, 5,650 Republicans voted. Mattingly polled